(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an internal combustion engine, in particular in a motor vehicle, having a reformer for generating hydrogen.
(2) Description of Related Art
It is known in general that reformers may be used in aftertreatment of exhaust gas, in particular diesel engine exhaust gas. Their function is to generate hydrogen, which is converted to ammonia, for example, in additional steps. To do so, fuel, e.g., diesel, is mixed with air and enters an autothermal reactor that operates mostly without external heating. A gas mixture comprised mainly of hydrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water is formed there at approximately 700° C. Ammonia produced from hydrogen in additional steps can convert the nitrogen oxides present in the exhaust into harmless nitrogen and water in a catalytic converter (SCR catalyst, where SCR stands for selective catalytic reduction) designed specifically for this purpose. It is known in general here that such reformers may be positioned in the full stream, in a substream (bypass) or between the intake and exhaust sides of the engine.